CNI 6/10. MIR 624. Extremely rare.

Very slight marginal fracture. Deposits.

m.MB

When the city returned to Este rule in 1336, the Modena mint remained inactive until March 1488, when it was reopened by order of Ercole I. Initially, only copper coins were minted, while the issuance of other denominations began only in 1499 (see Le zecche italiane 2011, pp. 893-905). On the reverse, in homage to the Duke of Este and in reference to his name, the legendary Greek hero Hercules is depicted performing one of his seven labors, namely the slaying of the ferocious lion that terrorized the population of the city of Nemea near Corinth. Since the beast had fur impenetrable to weapons, Hercules had to kill it with the strength of his arms alone. He then flayed the animal and covered himself with its fur, becoming invulnerable. Zeus later placed the Nemean lion among the signs of the Zodiac. The motto “Deus Fortitudo mea”, God is my strength, is taken from the book of Psalms